Automatically releasable ski binding



W urn-1 Oct. 28, 1958 Filed March 4, 1953 H. MARKER AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 23, 1958 H, MARKER 2,858,137 AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE SKI BINDING Filed March 4,1953 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Hmnss MARKER Oct. 28, 1958 l H, AR ER 2,858,137

AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE SKI BINDING Filed March 4, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 7 K

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l ]l M 5 J g i 7s 95 mvemoR Hmws MARKE United States Patent AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE SKI BINDING Hannes Marker, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Application March 4, 1953, Serial No. 340,187 Claims priority, application Germany March 25, 1952 20 Claims. (Cl. 28011.35)

The present invention relates to skis.

, More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for clamping skis to the shoes of the skier.

Known ski clamping devices are very dangerous because it is impossible for the skier to free himself from the skis when an accident occurs. Thus, if the skier takes a fall or goes into a snow bank, or if a similar mishap occurs, it frequently happens that the skis become twisted and twist the legs of the skier who is unable to free himself from the skis, and in this way the legs of the skier often become seriously injured, and leg bones are often broken.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a ski clamping apparatus which will automatically free the skis from the skier when such an accident occurs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ski clamping apparatus which provides a reliable connection between the skis and the ski shoes and at the same time permits the ski shoes to become automatically released from the skis when an accident occurs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatically releasable ski clamping apparatus which separates the skis from the ski shoes when the latter exert a predetermined turning force with respect to the skis.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a means for adjusting the predetermined turning force at which the ski shoes will be freed from the skis.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an automatically releasable ski clamp which cooperates with the toes of the ski shoes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatically releasable ski clamp which cooperates with the heels of the ski shoes.

A still additional object of the present invention is to provide a ski clamp with a means for adjusting the clamping force thereof.

The objects of the present invention also include the provision of a ski clamp which is free of elongated tapes, wires, or springs.

Furthermore, the objects of the present invention include the provision of an automatically releasable ski clamping apparatus which may be used with parts of known ski clamping devices.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a ski apparatus which includes a ski having a top face and a releasable holding means located on this top face of the ski for releasably holding a shoe thereon, this holding means having a pair of opposite parts mounted on the ski for movement toward and away from each other and being adapted to respectively engage the toe and heel of the shoe sole, one of these parts being mounted on theski for turning movement about an axis substantially normal to the top face thereof. A resilient means is operatively connected to this holding means for urging the above-mentioned parts thereof toward each other, so that when a shoe located between these parts is twisted with respect to the ski by a force suflicient to overcome the action of the resilient means and turn the said "ice 2 one turnable part thereof, the shoe will be automatically released from the ski.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in theappended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a part of a ski shoe in its clamped position;

Fig 2 is a fragmentary top plan view ment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrated without a ski shoe;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention adapted to cooperate with the toe of a shoe;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a heel supporting structure constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 66 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a further development of the invention shown incooperation with the clamped ski shoe; t

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure of Fig. 7 with the shoe omitted;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view takenalong the line 9--9 of Fig. 8; and P Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a central portion of a ski 1 having a ski shoe 2 located thereon. In accordance with the invention, it is necessary to provide only aforward holding means cooperating with the toe of the shoe, a rear holding means cooperating with the heel of the shoe,- and a resilient means which causes these two holding means to be urged toward each other so as to clamp the shoe.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 according to which at least two threaded pins 15 are fixed to the top face of the ski and extend upwardly therefrom. The nuts 16 are respectively mounted in threaded engagement with the pins 15 and are each provided with an arm 17 extending in a substantially horizontal direction. A holding jaw 18 is pivotally connected to the free end portion of each arm 17 through the medium of a vertical pivot pin 19. The ja'ws 18 are shaped so that they cooperate with the toe part of the shoe sole and have a profile according to which the jaws 18 are undercut along faces 18d, 18d inclined with respect to each other and intersecting at 18c and have lips 18a projecting forwardly from the faces 18d and extending of the embodiover the top rim of the shoe sole 3. The threaded pins 15 may be fixed directly to the ski, but according to a preferred construction the pins 15 are respectively fixed to plates 20 which are screwed onto the ski through the medium of screw members 21. The other holding means which cooperates with the heel of the shoe can take any known form with the embodiment of Fig. 2., such as, for example, tensioning wires or hands, or tensioning springs 8, or any combination of these known devices.

The above described embodiment of the invention operates to cause the jaws 18 and the resilient force of the springs 8 or other tensioning bands to hold the shoe and ski together during normal skiing. As is known to all skiers, the direction of skiing is not changed by turning the ski shoes with respect to the skis. Instead, turns are executed when the skier twists his body more or less in the desired direction and produces a turning force at the forward part of the ski essentially through a force transmitted to the ski by the heel of the skier so that the ski turns about its forward pointed end portion. Thus, the forces which exist during turns are not so much forces which tend to turn the shoes with respect to the skis, but instead essentially are forces which tend to move the heels of the ski shoes laterally with respect to the skis. These latter forces, however, are taken up by the resilient spring 8 which urges the shoe toward the pins 15 and is strong enough to prevent the shoe from turning under the action of these forces and thereby frees the shoe from the unstable clamping produced by the jaws 18. Such a freeing of the shoe requires the nut 16 to be turned about the pin 15 and in order for this to be accomplished it is first necessary for the shoe to move rearwardly against the action of the rear holding means because the shoe must turn about one of the rearwardly extending end portions of the faces 18d of the jaw which are inclined with respect to each other in conformity with the toe portion of the shoe sole and which have opposite ends which are located at a further distance from the pin 15 than the central portion 180 thereof. Such a rearward movement of the shoe causes the holding means 8 to be further stressed so as to urge the shoe toward the pin 15 with an increasing force. Thus, a snap clamp action exists between the toe portion of the shoe and the jaws 18.

If, however, the skier during execution of a turn suddenly drives the point of the ski into deep snow, for example, and thus tends toturn his shoe with respect to the ski because the latter is prevented from turning by being embedded in the snow, then the shoe is turned with respect to the ski very suddenly and with a strong force so as to produce an abnolmally large turning force with respect to the ski so that the point of the shoe overcomes the inherent resilient force of the holding means 8 and simultaneously turns the nuts so that the shoe is freed from the jaws 18 and can be turned freely with respect to the ski or is entirely freed from the ski. In this way too great of a twisting of the leg bones is avoided to guarantee that no bones will be broken. The nuts 16 and threaded pins 15 are carefully designed to have a predetermined friction so that the shoe sole is automatically free from the jaws 18, in the event of an accident, when a predetermined turning force of the shoe with respect to the ski exists.

Fig. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention in which a construction similar to that of Fig. 2 is used. I

In the same way as in the embodiment of Fig. 2, there are provided a pair of threaded pins 15 which, differently from Fig. 2, are fixed to a single plate 23 that is fastened to the ski by the screws 24. Nuts 16 are in threaded engagement with the pins 15 and have arms 17 to which the jaws 18 are pivotally connected, respectively, the nuts 16 and jaws 18 having the same construction as shown in Fig. 2. The ski 1 is formed with an elongated slot 27 at the heel supporting region thereof, and a heel supporting plate 29 is turnably connected to a screw member 28 which extends through slot 27 to cooperate with a nut or the like slidably located in a channel or similar hollow guide formed in the ski below the slot, the plate 29 thus being supported for turning movement about member 28 while the latter cooperates with the nut below slot 27 to provide a definite longitudinal adjustment of the plate 29 along the ski so that plate 29 can be located in a desired position.

The plate 29 carries two lateral heel engaging members 30 which cooperate with the sides of the'heel to guide the latter. These members 311 may be mounted for lateral adjustment in any known way and may be formed so that they extend over the top rim of the heel or the shoe sole next to the heel. The members 30 can be formed with slots for fastening bands which extend longitudinally of the ski or over the instep of the shoe.

The plate 29 is free at its rear portion so that a rear holding means of any known type, such as, for example, the tension wire 31 can engage the shoe at the rear part thereof and resiliently urge the same into engagement with the jaws 26. The advantage produced by the plate 29 is that it provides a predetermined turning axis for the heel of the shoe and also that it appreciably reduces the friction between the shoe and ski so as to render the shoe more easily turnable with respect to the ski. According to a further development of the invention, the plate 29 can be extended forwardly up to the region of the jaws 18, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, for example, and can have its turning movement with respect to the ski limited through any suitable means, such as one or more stops.

in all of the above described embodiments of the invention, the automatically releasable locking devices have been described in connection with known holding devices for resiliently urging the toe and heel engaging parts of the clamping arrangement toward each other. In the description which follows, however, an embodiment of the invention is disclosed which does not require these known resilient means.

Figs. 4 and 6 show an arrangement where known devices, such as elongated tensioning springs, wires or bands extending along the length of the shoe are not necessary. A plate 42 is fastened to the top face of ski 1 through the medium of screws 41, as shown in Fig. 4; and this plate 42 may be located in a recess in the top face of the ski so that the top face of the plate 42 is flush with the top face of the ski. A pair of guide pins are located one behind the other, along the central longitudinal axis of the ski, on the plate 42 and extend upwardly therefrom. A second plate 43 is formed with an elongated slot 44 through which these guide pins extend so that the plate 43 is movable longitudinally along the length of the ski. The top ends of these guide pins are peened over to form rivet-like heads 45 for holding the plate 43 on the plate 42, these heads 45 extending beyond the side edges of the slot 44. Only one of the heads 45 is visible in Fig. 4.

The plate 43 is formed, in addition to the central slot 44, with a pair of lateral slots 46 into which two screw members 47, whose heads are visible in Fig. 4, extend and can be moved along the length of the ski, these screw members 47 cooperating with nuts (not shown) which are located at the underside of the plate 43 in suitable elongated recesses or slots formed, for example, in the plate 42 or also in the ski 1. The screw members 47 respectively extend through central bores of a pair of sleeves 51 provided with outer threads 49, having bottom toothed end faces 48 and each being formed with an elongated groove 50. Through this arrangement the sleeves 51 may be adjusted longitudinally along the plate 43.

A pair of nuts 52 threadedly engage the sleeves 51, respectively, and these sleeves 51 may be turned to adjust the elevation of the nuts 52. Clamping jaws 54 respectively are turnably connected to the nuts 52 through the medium of pivot pins 53, these jaws 54 being adapted to cooperate with the toe portion of a shoe sole in the same way as the above-described jaws 18 and they are formed in the same way. A strap 55 extends between the nuts 52 and jaws 54 and is connected to the pivot pins 53 so as to interconnect the set of nuts and jaws with each other.

As is apparent from Fig. 6, that part of each nut 52 which is opposite to the pivot pin 53 is formed with a projection 56 which is itself formed with an elongated threaded bore communicating with the interior of the nut 52. At the inner end of this threaded bore of each nut 52 there is located a ball member 57 which is adapted to cooperate with the groove 50 of sleeve 51 in the manner of a spring-pressed ball and detent device. The ball members 57 are respectively urged into the groove 50. by springs respectively located in these bores, and thejpressure of each spring 58 is controlled by an adjusting screw 59 which threadedly extends into the interior of each threaded bore.

As is shown in Fig. 5, the ski carries a pivot pin 60 at the heel region of the shoe and a heel supporting plate 61 is turnable on this pin 60, this plate 61 extending forwardly and being formed with an arcuate slot 63 whose center is at pin 60 and through which the pin 62, fixed to the ski, extends so as to limit the turning movement of the plate 61. The plate 61 is provided with jaw members 64, which may be adjustable in any known way and which are adapted to extend over the top rim of the heel, these jaw members 64 being designed to hold the shoe at its rear and sides.

Along the central longitudinal axis of the plate 43 there is located a lever 66 which is pivotally connected to thejplate 43 through the medium of a pin 65 supported in a suitabletongue extending upwardly from a front portion of the plate 43. This lever .66 cooperates with a spring 68 located in a sleeve 67, the lever 66 having a free end portion extending into this sleeve 67, and the latter is pivotally connected to a second lever 70 through the medium of apivot pin 69 which extends through the sleeve 67 and the lever 70. The lever 70 is in turn pivotally connected to a ring 71 freely located about an elongated threaded member 73 mounted on blocks 74. A nut 72 is threadedly mounted on the member 73 and abuts againstjthe ring 71 for adjusting the latter along the length of member 73.

The levers 70 and 66, 67 thus form a toggle joint adapted to compress and release the spring 68. The arrangement is shown in its unclamped or released position in Fig. 4, and in this unclamped position the plate 43 is located forwardly of its operative clamping position. b In this position of the parts the ski shoe may be easily placed on the plate 61 between the jaws 64 and 54. When the shoe is thus located on the ski, the screws 47 maybe loosened to locate the sleeves 51 at a desired position longitudinally of the plate 43 so that the jaws 54 may be thus located at a desired position with respect to the toe portion of the shoe sole. As the same time, the screws 59 may be loosened to allow the balls57 to move out of the' grooves 50 so that the sleeves 51 may be easily turned to adjust the elevation of the nuts 52 and jaws 54 to the top rim of the shoe sole. Then the screws 47 are turned to press the sleeves 51 against the top face of plate 43, and as .a result of the toothed end faces 48 of sleeves 51 which engage the plate 43, the sleeves 51 are very strongly secured against turning. Simultaneously, the sleeves 51 are secured against longitudinal movement along the plate 43.

Then the adjusting screws 59 are turned to whatever extent the skier himself wishes so that the ball members 57 are pressed by springs 58, respectively, into the grooves 50, respectively, with a desired pressure, Finally, the lever 70 of the toggle arrangement is turned in the direction of arrow A of Fig. 4 so as to move the plate 43 and all of the parts thereon to the rear so that the jaws 54 securely engage the toe portion of a shoe sole. During this turning of lever 70, the lever 66 extends further into the sleeve 67 so that the spring 68 becomes compressed and constantly urges the plate 43 to the rear with a force which may be adjusted by the nut 72.

The lever 70 is channel-shaped so as to be located about the sleeve 67 in the locked position of the parts, and in this locked position the pivot. 69 is located slightly below the pivot 65 and the pivotal connection of lever 70 to ring 71 to provide the locking toggle action. Also, in the locked position, the pivot 69 is located to the rear of the rear block 74, the latter being located between the opposite sides of member 70 which are clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thus, this arrangement securely holds the shoe on the shoe sole with an adjustable pressure determined by the nut 72. After the original setting of the parts to suit the skier, it is unnecessary to carry out further adjustments so that the clamping and unclamping of the shoe simply require the movement of lever 70. T

The above-described structures of Figs. 4 and 5 fulfill the desired result of automatically freeing the shoe from the ski when the shoe is turned with a predetermined force with respect to the ski. The shoe heel will turn the plate 61 about pivot 60, and the toe portion of the shoe, will simultaneously turn the nuts 52 on the sleeves 51 so as to automatically release the shoe. This arrangement has the particular advantage of enabling themagnitude of the turning force for freeing the shoe to be adjusted by the screws 59 to any desired value in accordance with the wishes of the skier.

It is evident that the structure of Fig. 4 will also operate in accordance with the invention without springpressed balls 57 and grooves50.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 7-10. This embodiment includes a. combination of the features of the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4. On the ski 1 there is located a plate 76 (Figs. 9 and 10) which is fixed to the top face of the ski through the medium of the screws 75, and a pair of threaded pins 77 are fixed.,to the plate 76 by welding, for example. About each of.the threaded pins 77 there is located a block 78 which carries a pivot pin 79 extending beyond the top and bottom faces of the block 78 and pivotally support ing a clamping jaw 80, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 9. The blocks 78 threadedly engage the members 77, respectively, through the medium of split nuts 82 which are respectively pressed into bores of the blocks 78. These split nuts 82 present the advantages of being easily replaceable after considerable wear and of being easily adjusted to provide a desired friction with the threads of members 77, respectively.

The blocks 78 are diamond or oval-shaped, as is apparent from Fig. 10, and the boring in which the nut 82 is located is formed at the widest part of the block 78. The pivot pin 79 is turnable in an elongated bore of the block 78 which is smaller than the central bore of the block 78 and parallel thereto, this bore for the pin 79 being located near the rear end of the block 78.

Each block 78 is formed at an end opposite from pin 79 with a vertical bore 83 (Fig. 10) whose top end 84 is somewhat narrowed (Fig. 9) and whose bottom end portion is provided with an inner thread 85. A ball member 86 is located in the bore 83 adjacent the narrowed end 84 thereof, and a spring 87 in the bore 83 urges the ball member 86 upwardly and outwardly therefrom, the narrowed end 84 permitting the ball member 86 to extend only partly out of the bore because the diameter of ball 86 is larger than the opening formed by narrowed end 84. .At the end of spring member 87.0pposite from ball member 86 there is located an adjusting screw 88 which engages the threads to adjust the pressure of spring 87.

The jaw members 80 are each U-shaped, as shown in Fig. 9, and include a bottom short horizontal limb 80a and a longer top horizontal limb 80b, these limbs being connected by the vertically extending rear bridge portion of jaw 80. This bridge portion of member 80 is formed at its lower rear side with an undercut portion 89 into which the front of the shoe sole is adapted to extend, and also a lip 90 extends rearwardly from jaw 80 over the undercut portion 89 to engage the top rim of the toe portion of the shoe sole. As is shown most clearly in Fig. 10, the undercut portion 89 is formed with vertically extending teeth 91 to provide good frictional engagement with the shoe sole. The shorter limb 80a of jaw 80 extends beneath the block 78 while the longer limb 80b extends over the top face of the block 78. This top limb 80b is formed adjacent to the bridge portion of jaw member 80 with a vertical bore 92 into which the top end of pivot pin 79 extends, and the pivot pin 79 is provided with a threaded lower end portion 93 which threadedly 7 engages a threaded bore formed in the lower limb 80a.

As is apparent from Fig. 8, the top limb 80b of the jaw member 80 essentially has the form of an isosceles triangle with the bridge portion of jaw 80 located at the base of the triangle. The apex portion of the triangle is so formed that it covers the top face of the block 78 and corresponds to the shape thereof. This apex portion corresponds as accurately as possible with the horizontal cross section of the end portion of block 78 located thereunder.

A recessed insert 94 is located in the limb 80b and is positioned so that the ball member 86 extends into the recess of insert 94 when the apex portion of limb 80b is accurately aligned with the front end portion of the block 78 located thereunder.

As is apparent from Fig. 10, the block 78 is formed on its opposite sides and adjacent the front end thereof with a pair of slots 95, respectively, which extend in a vertical direction from the bottom of block 78 almost up to the top face thereof. The slots 95 serve to guide a sheet metal lock member 96 which is somewhat V-shaped and has free end portions which extend into the slots 95 and which have top edges located below the topmost edge of the lock member 96. Thus, the member 96 may be moved up and down along the block 78. As is shown at 97 in Figs. 7 and 10, the lock member 96 is preferably formed on opposite sides with an outwardly pressed or otherwise formed roughened surface so that the lock member may be very easily gripped and moved.

A heel supporting plate 99 is turnably mounted on the ski 1 through the medium of the pivot pin 98 which extends through the plate 99 and is fixed to the ski. The turning movement of the plate 99 is limited by a forward extension 100 of this plate 99 which extends into a cutout 101 of the plate 76, as shown in Fig. 10. This cutout of plate 76 is covered by a strap 102 (Figs. 9 and so as to maintain the extension 100 within the cutout 101, this strap 102 being screwed onto the plate 76 with some of the screws 75.

Furthermore, a pair of stop bolts 103 are screwed onto the plate 76, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 .and 10, to serve as stops to limit the turning of blocks 78 on the threaded pins 77, and these stops 103 are removed from the plate 76, by being unscrewed therefrom, when it is desired to adjust the elevation of the blocks 78.

Known holding devices may be provided to resiliently urge the toe portion of the shoe against the jaws 80, such as, for example, tension wires, springs or bands. In Figs. 7 .and 8 there is illustrated, as an example, a tensioning wire which is tensioned through the medium of the springs 105 which are tensioned through a known tensioning lever.

The operation of the embodiment of Figs. 7-10 is as follows:

After the elevation of each block 78 has been adjusted and the blocks secured against turning from the threaded members 77 by replacement of the stop members 103, the ball members 86 are located in the recesses of inserts 94, if this has not already been done. The shoe is now placed on the plate 99 and pushed into engagement with the jaw members 80 so that the front face of the shoe sole lies against the teeth 91 and so that the lip 90 extends over the top rim of the toe portion of the shoe sole. Then the known holding structure, such as the tensioning wire and spring 105 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is brought into play to urge the shoe against the jaws 80.

If, during use of the skis, a turning moment of a shoe with respect to its ski occurs, as the result of an accident, for example, which is sufficient to overcome the action of the resilient force with which the shoe is urged toward the jaws 80, then the shoe turns with the plate 99 about the pivot 98 and the jaws 80 turn to push the ball members 86 into the bores 83 against the action of springs 87. The two blocks 78 turn on the threaded pins 77 and the jaws 80 simultaneously turn about the pins 79 to laterally free the shoe from the ski. With this arrangement the skier may adjust the position of the screws 88 to free the shoes at a predetermined magnitude of the turning force of the shoe with respect to the ski.

If the skier, for any reason, such as for a long continuous run, wishes to cut out the ball and detent action, then he need only move the lock member 96 upwardly so that it assumes the position shown in Fig. 7 where it is located against the front end portion of the limb b of jaw 80 so that the latter cannot be turned with respect to the block 78. With this position of the parts, the apparatus of Figs. 7-10 operates in the same way as the embodiments of Figs. 1 and 3 described above.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of ski clamping a? paratus differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in automatically releasable ski clamping apparatus, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Ski apparatus comprising, in combination, a ski having a top face; first engaging means mounted on said top face of said ski for engaging the toe of a shoe, said first engaging means comprising a first pivot pin extending upwardly from said top face of said ski, a swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot pin, a second pivot pin mounted on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot pin and parallel thereto, a jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot pin and having an undercut portion at its rear face in which the toe of the sole of a shoe is adapted to be located, said jaw member having at its rear face a configuration corresponding to that of the toe part of a shoe sole; second engaging means mounted on said top face of said ski for engaging the heel of a shoe; and resilient means operatively connected to one of said engaging means for urging the same toward the other of said engaging means, so that a shoe will be automatically released from said first and second engaging means when turned with respect to the ski by a force sufficient to overcome the action of said resilient means and turn said swivel member on said first pivot pin.

2. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; adjustable releasable lock means mounted on one of said members for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement about the pivot means on which it is mounted when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment; and adjusting means for adjusting the size of the predetermined moment.

3.. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means .9 for movement about the axis thereof; a Second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; spring-pressed ball and detent means mounted on one of said members for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement about the pivot means on which it is mounted when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment; and adjusting means for adjusting the size of the predetermined moment. j

4. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member spaced from said support member a given distance and turnably carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof, said jaw member having a rear face formed with an undercut in which the toe of the sole of a shoe is adapted to be located; first adjusting means for adjusting said distance of said jaw member from said support member; releasable lock means mounted on one of said members for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement about the pivot means on which it is mounted when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment; and a second adjusting means for adjusting the size of the predetermined moment.

5. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; releasable lock means mounted on said swivel member for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement about the pivot means on which it is mounted when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment; and adjusting means for adjusting the size of the predetermined moment.

6. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member.

turnably carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; and releasable lock means mounted on said swivel member for preventing turning of said swivel member and for releasing said swivel member for turning movement about said first pivot means when said swivel member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment.

7. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and parallel thereto; a turnable jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; and releasable lock means mounted on said swivel member for preventing turning of said jaw member and for releasing said jaw member for turning movement about said second pivot 10 means when said jaw member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment.

8. A ski apparatus comprising, in combination, a ski having a top face; a pair of pins mounted on said top face of said ski, extending upwardly therefrom, and being laterally spaced from each other; a pair of swivel members carried by said pins, respectively, and being turnable about the axis thereof, respectively, each of said, swivel members having a projection extending towards the rear of said ski when said swivel members are in operative position; a pair of jaw members pivotally connected to free end portions of said projections, respectively, for turning about axes parallel to the axes of said pins, respectively, and being adapted to engage the top edge portion of said toe part of the shoe'sole; and resilient means mounted on said ski for urging a shoe thereon towards said jaw members.

9. A ski apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said second engaging means comprises a plate pivotally mounted on said top face of said ski for turning movement about an axis normal to said top face to allow turning movement of the heel of the shoe with respect to the ski.

10. A safety ski binding as defined in claim 2 in which said jaw member has a rear face adapted to engage the toe portion of the sole of a shoe; and a flange projecting from said rear face and extending over the whole width of said jaw member so as to be adapted to engage the top rim of said sole portion. i

11. A safety ski binding as defined in claim 10 in which said rear face is concavely formed so that only the laterally extending outer portions of said rear face will engage the toe portion of the sole.

12. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot pin fixed to and extending from said support member; a turnable swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot pin for turning movement about the axis thereof, said swivel member having a pair of opposite portions respectively located on opposite sides of said first pivot pin; a second pivot pin mounted in one of said opposite portions of said swivel member, being spaced from said first pivot pin and parallel thereto; a turnable, substantially L-shaped jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot pin for turning movement about the axis thereof, said L-shaped jaw member having an upper leg portion extending over and covering the top surface of said swivel member and having a second leg portion substantially normal to said upper leg portion and extending in front of said. one of said opposite portions of said swivel member; and releasable lock means mounted in the other of said opposite portions of said swivel member for preventing turning of said jaw member on said second pivot pin and for releasing said jaw member for turning movement about said second pivot pin when said jaw member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment.

13. A ski binding'as defined in claim 12 in which said jaw member is provided with a projection projecting substantially parallel to said upper leg portion thereof between said support member and the bottom face of said swivel member toward said first pivot pin with said second pivot pin passing from said upper leg portion of said jaw member through said one portion of said swivel member and being screwed with the lower end thereof into said projection of said jaw member.

14.. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 and including a substantially V-shaped locking member slidably mounted in said other portion of said swivel member for sliding movement in the direction substantially parallel to the axis of the first pivot pin between an unlocking position in which said locking member engages only said other portion of said swivel member and a locking position in which said locking member engages said other portion of said swivel member and the portion of the second leg portion of said L-shaped jaw member located over said other portion of said swivel member so as to prevent turning of said jaw member about said second pivot pin with respect to said swivel member.

15. Ski apparatus comprising, in combination, a ski having a top face; first engaging means mounted on said top face of said ski for engaging the toe of a shoe, said first engaging means comprising first pivot means on said top face of said ski, a swivel member turnably carried by said first pivot means, a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means and having a pivot axis parallel thereto, a jaw member turnably carried by said second pivot means and having at its rear face a configuration corresponding to that of the toe part of a shoe sole; second engaging means mounted on said top face of said ski for engaging the heel of a shoe; and resilient means operatively connected to one of said engaging means for urging the same toward the other of said engaging means, so that a shoe will be automatically released from said first and second engaging means when turned with respect to the ski by a force suificient to overcome the action of said resilient means and turn said swivel member on said first pivot pin.

16. A ski apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said jaw member has an undercut portion at its rear face in which the toe of the sole of a shoe is adapted to be located.

17. Ski apparatus as defined in claim 15 and including yieldable lock means associated with one of said turnable members for preventing turning of said one turnable member about the respective pivot means and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement about said pivot means when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined moment.

18. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a swivel member carried by said support member turnable about a first axis of turning; a jaw member carried by said swivel member turnable about a second axis of turning parallel to said first axis of turning; and

yieldable lock means mounted on one of said members for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment.

19. In a safety ski binding as defined in claim 18 and including adjusting means for adjusting said yieldable lock means to change thereby the turning moment at which said yieldable lock means releases said one turnable member for turning movement. v

20. In a safety ski binding, in combination, a support member; a first pivot means on said support member; a swivel member carried by said first pivot means for movement about the axis thereof; a second pivot means on said swivel member spaced from said first pivot means; a jaw member carried by said second pivot means for turning movement about the axis thereof; and yieldable lock means mounted on one of said members for preventing turning of one of said turnable members and for releasing said one turnable member for turning movement when said turnable member is subjected to a turning moment exceeding a predetermined turning moment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,879 I-Ivam May 3, 1949 2,513,926 Erwin July 4, 1950 2,534,038 Lanz Dec. 12, 1950 2,610,861 Campbell Sept. '16, 1952 2,614,858 Pierce Oct. 21, 1952 2,682,416 Knauf June 29, 1954 2,698,757 Berlenbach Jan. 4, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 951,618 France Apr. 18, 1949 207,506 Germany Mar. 2, 1909 596,836 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1948 278,973 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1952 

